I am so excited to share today’s Vegan Pumpkin Bread Pudding recipe with you guys! This bread pudding is the ultimate healthy and cozy fall recipe, because it is made with wholesome ingredients. It is perfect for a quick and easy healthy treat to make throughout the week.
What Is Bread Pudding?
Growing up my family didn’t eat a lot of homemade desserts. A typical dessert in my house was ice cream, Little Debbies, and of course birthday cakes. It wasn’t until I took culinary arts in high school that my dessert knowledge expanded, and my love for baking (aside from cakes) grew.
One of the first things we learned how to bake was bread pudding. Of course, the bread pudding I made in those days wasn’t vegan like this pumpkin Bread Pudding recipe is.
What exactly is bread pudding? Bread pudding is a dish that typically consists of bread soaked in milk, eggs, and sugar. Obviously this vegan recipe is free of eggs, and uses plant based milk. However it is also refined sugar-free, so it uses natural sweeteners instead of refined sugars like cane sugar.
One of the best things about bread pudding is there are so many different ways to flavor it. There are also so many ways to increase the nutritional value. For example this Vegan Pumpkin Bread Pudding has pumpkin puree for an added vegetable, and antioxidants and other nutrients from the spices, not to mention it’s loaded with fiber!
Just like any dessert it’s still important to enjoy in moderation, however recipes like this can be a great way to eat more of your favorite foods!
Ingredients For Vegan Pumpkin Bread Pudding:
Vegan Pumpkin Bread Pudding Layer:
- Gluten-Free Bread Of Choice – Any gluten-free, or whole wheat bread will work for this recipe. I went with a sourdough loaf, because I prefer my desserts to not be super sweet. Therefore if you prefer your desserts to be on the sweeter side, look for a sweeter bread loaf.
- Pumpkin Puree – It’s important that you use pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie mix. Pumpkin pie pureed pumpkin has added sugars and flavorings. pure pumpkin puree is a great ingredient to include in your diet, because it’s a highly nutritious vegetable.
- Plant Based Milk of Choice – Any plant based milk will work, however I recommend using unsweetened soy milk. It’s thick and creamy, yet lower in fat than other milks such as coconut.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice – I find that using the pre-made pumpkin pie spice is a great option, because it is way easier than measuring out all the individual spices. If you can’t find pumpkin pie spice, you can make your own by combining: cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, ginger, and I sometimes like adding cardamom.
- Ground Flaxseed – Since this pumpkin pie bread pudding recipe is vegan, the ground flaxseed will work similarly to an egg. You only need a little to achieve that sticky texture. I also recommend not overdoing it, because ground flaxseed can have quite a strong flavor.
- Date Syrup – One of my all-time favorite natural sweeteners is date syrup. It is super sweet with a mild caramel sweetness that pairs well with so many recipes. Date syrup contains significantly more nutrients than cane sugar, and works just as well!
- Vanilla Extract – a must in any baking recipe! I love using Mexican Vanilla for a richer flavor!
- Chopped Pecans – Who doesn’t love pecans in the fall? I love mixing in some pecans for some healthy fats and the perfect crunch!
Caramel Pecan Layer:
- 2 Ingredient Vegan Caramel – Did you know that you can make whole foods plant based vegan caramel with just 2 ingredients? I love topping my healthy vegan desserts off with some of this delicious caramel.
- Raw Pecans – Can you ever have enough pecans when it comes to fall desserts? I don’t think so!
Maple Cream:
- Pure Maple Syrup – Pure maple syrup is another one of my favorite plant based sweeteners. Maple syrup is super sweet, but full of minerals. A little goes a long way.
- Coconut Butter – I love using coconut butter instead of coconut oil. Coconut butter contains fiber, protein, and vitamins/minerals, which are all stripped from coconut oil. Coconut butter is creamy and rich, and perfect for making plant based glazes.
How To Make This Vegan Pumpkin Bread Pudding:
This Vegan Pumpkin Bread Pudding recipe is super simple to make. It only requires a few simple steps and you’re good to go!
First, cut you slightly stale bread into chunks. It shouldn’t be too stale, but it should also not be super fresh. My loaf was about three days old. Don’t worry about chopping the bread neatly either. The chunks should be completely random in bite size pieces.
Next, combine the remaining pumpkin bread pudding layer ingredients together in a large bowl and mix until smooth. Add the chunks of bread to the mixture and let soak for about 25 minutes in the fridge.
Preheat the oven to 350. After the bread has soaked, place it into a brownie pan and place in the oven to bake for 40 minutes.
While the pumpkin bread pudding is baking, make the caramel pecan layer. Simply make the 2 ingredient caramel according to instructions, and add the chopped pecans. Mix until smooth.
Once the 40 minutes are up, remove the bread pudding and cover with the caramel pecan layer. place back in the oven to bake for 10 more minutes.
While it’s back in the oven make the maple cream by combining both ingredients and mixing until smooth. Once the 10 minutes are up, remove from heat and allow to chill for 10 minutes. You can enjoy warm right away, or allow it to chill completely. Top with the maple cream, and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions:
Is Vegan Pumpkin Bread Pudding Healthy?
If you’re looking for a healthy vegan fall dessert, this Vegan Pumpkin Bread Pudding is for you! It’s made with whole foods plant based ingredients, and contains added vegetables. To ensure that you’re making this recipe as healthy as possible, it’s important to use quality bread.
Many store bought breads are made with highly processed and refined ingredients. I used a sourdough bread that was made with flour, water, and salt.
Why Is My Bread Pudding Mushy?
A common issue with bread pudding recipes is that the pudding can become quite soggy/mushy. However this can be easily avoided. To prevent soggy bread pudding, make sure you soak the bread in the liquid mixture for at least 10-25 minutes. This allows the bread to absorb more of the liquid before baking, so that when it is baking in the oven it has time to crisp and firm up.
Can I Make My Own Pumpkin Pie Spice?
The key to achieving the right flavor for this Vegan Pumpkin Bread Pudding recipe is ensuring that the spice mixture is right. I recommend looking for a pre-made pumpkin pie spice mix, however they can sometimes be hard to find, or if you prefer organic spices like me they’re almost non existent.
To make a homemade pumpkin pie spice mix, all you need is 2 tablespoons cinnamon, 3/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 2 teaspoons ginger, 1/2 teaspoon allspice, 1/2 teaspoon cloves. Mix all ingredients together and store in an air tight container!
Related Vegan Fall Recipes:
- Healthy Vegan Pecan Pie
- Maple Caramel Almond Cheesecake
- Vegan Cranberry Orange Bread
- Snickerdoodle Ice Cream
Vegan Pumpkin Bread Pudding
Equipment
Ingredients
For The Pumpkin Bread Pudding:
- 1 large loaf slightly stale gluten-free bread can use whole wheat, or sourdough if not gluten-free
- 1 can pumpkin puree
- 1/3 cup date syrup
- 2-3 cups soy milk depending on the size of your bread loaf
- 2 tbsp ground flaxseed
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
- 1 1/2 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For The Caramel Pecan Layer:
- 1 batch 2 ingredient vegan caramel
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
For The Maple Cream Glaze:
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/3 cup coconut butter
Instructions
- First, cut you slightly stale bread into chunks. It shouldn’t be too stale, but it should also not be super fresh. My loaf was about three days old. Don’t worry about chopping the bread neatly either. The chunks should be completely random in bite size pieces.
- Next, combine the remaining pumpkin bread pudding layer ingredients together in a large bowl and mix until smooth. Add the chunks of bread to the mixture and let soak for about 25 minutes in the fridge.
- Preheat the oven to 350. After the bread has soaked, place it into a brownie pan and place in the oven to bake for 40 minutes.
- While the pumpkin bread pudding is baking, make the caramel pecan layer. Simply make the 2 ingredient caramel according to instructions, and add the chopped pecans. Mix until smooth.
- Once the 40 minutes are up, remove the bread pudding and cover with the caramel pecan layer. place back in the oven to bake for 10 more minutes.
- While it’s back in the oven make the maple cream by combining both ingredients and mixing until smooth. Once the 10 minutes are up, remove from heat and allow to chill for 10 minutes. You can enjoy warm right away, or allow it to chill completely. Top with the maple cream, and enjoy!
